Hatchet-regulator eor note-sheet control



W. A. WATSON.

RATCHET REGULATOR FOR NOTE SHEET CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1916. V

Patented June 10, 1919.

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RATCHET REGULATOE FOR NOTE SHEET CONTROL.

' APPLlCATlON FILED FEB. 23. 1916.

1,306,207 Patented June 10, 1919.

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In veazi'o r Z L'ZZ iam' aiflaizsa 7L WILLIAM A. WATSON, or MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEET-REGULATOR FOR NOTE-SHEET CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 119 10, 1919,

Application filed February 23, 1916. Serial No. 79,916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. WATSON,

of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ratchet-Regulators for Note-Sheet Control, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic musical instruments and refers especially to the mechanism for controlling the passage of a perforated note sheet over the tracker bar of a player piano.

In such instruments, during playing, the note sheet is liable to shift more or less laterally, as is well lmown, and the object of my present invention is to provide a regulating or controlling mechanism for insuring correct passage of the note sheet over the tracker bar, which mechanism is wholly independent of the use of air.

A further object of my invention is to provide mechanism of this character which, although utilizing the action of the edges of the paper against movable devices or fingers which, in turn, bring about the restoration of proper tracking, yet will cause little or no wear or crumpling of the edges of the paper.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the improvements which I shall now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of so much of my invention in one of its embodiments as is necessary to illustrate my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the parts shown in Fi 1, but omitting the note sheet.

Fig. 3 is an elevation from the left of Fig.

1, partly in section, on a larger scale.

Fig. 4 represents asection on line 44 of Fig. 1 on a larger scale. I Fig. 5 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 2, on a larger scale.

Fig. 6 represents a section on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts in all of the views. v

The end walls 12, 13, of the tracker bar or spool box support the tracker bar 14, the take-up spool 15, and the record spool 16. A spindle 17 having a chuck '18 supports one end of the record spool, and a spindle 19 having a chuck 20 supports one end of the take-up spool saidspindleshave'bearings the Wall 13 and a strip 21 suitably sup ported by posts extending out from the wall 13.

Projecting from the strip 21 are bearing brackets 22 for a vertical rock shaft 23 hav- 1ng two arms 24, 25, which overlap the ends of the spindles 17, 19. Supported by the end Wall 12 are two tubular supports or bearings 26 for the left hand spindles 27 of the two spools, springs 28 in said tubular supports exerting a constant tendency to shift the spindles 27, and the two spools, and the right hand spindles 17, 19 of the latter, toward the right in Fig. 1. This mounting of the spindles is according to the custom or practice now almost universal, and my improvements hereinafter described so act to rock the vertical shaft 23 as to cause the arms 24, 25, thereof to determine the position of the spools laterally relatively to the spool box. By my said improvements Imake no change inthis mounting of the spindles.

A shaft 29 is mounted in the members 13,

:21, and at the outer end has a sprocket 30 by means of which power is applied in the usual way to cause the note sheet to travel, said shaft having a pinion 31 meshing with a gear 32 carried by the spindle 19 of the take up spool. The note sheet is conventionally illustrated at 33 in Fig. 1. l

Suitably secured to the wall 12 is a small frame 34 in which the ratchet wheel 35 is mounted. This ratchet wheel is a reversible one in that it is capable of being actuated in either direction and not solely in one direction of rotation. As best illustrated in Fig. 6, the ratchet wheel has a sleeve hub 36 which is internally threaded, said, sleeve being mounted in the'frame 34. Mounted on the hub 36 is the hub 37 of a disk-shaped shield 38, and at the other side, of the wheel 35, and on the hub 36, is mounted thehub 39 of an elbow. lever 40, 41, (Fig. 3), the arm 41 of said lever having two pawls 42, 43. The shield isrecessed for a'short distance at each side of the center of its upper portion, as shown in Fig. 3,'so that, if said shield is shifted in the direction of the arrow (1 or the arrow 6, one pawl or the other wi ll befree to engage the teeth of the'ratchet 35' so as to rotate that ratchet and its internally threaded sleeve hub 36 in one direction or the other, step by step. The reason for making the shield 38 disk-'shaped,"instead of having it in the, form of an upwardlylextendingsegment, is to have said shield balanced so that gravity can never affect the delicacy of operation of themeans presently described for shifting said shield.

The elbow lever and the pawls are constantly actuated by power by means which be constantly actuated by the samepower as that which causes the take-up spool to efi'ect the travel of the note sheet.

As shown by comparing Figs. 2, 5 and 6, the threaded end 48 of a rod 49 is engaged with the internal threads of the hub of the ratchet wheel, so'thatwhen said ratchet wheel is actuated in one direction or the other it willcause said rod to shift in the direction of its length one way or the other. The other end of the rod 49 is connected to an arm 50 (Fig. 2) of the rock shaft 23, and, therefore, when the rod 49 is shifted, say toward the left in Fig. 2, it will rock the shaft 23 and cause the arms 24 thereof .to act upon the spindles of the twospools and shift them to the left against the force ofthe springs '28, and when the rod shifts in the other direction, it removes the press ing action of arms 24 and permits the springs '28 to shift the spools toward the right. i It will now be understood that the mechanismjust described constitutes apower mechanismfo'r shifting the relative lateral positions of the note sheet and tracker bar, which mechanisml term the secondary con trol mechanism. I will now describe the primary mechanism which brings the secondary into actiomreferring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 5.

A pair of fingers 51, 52, are adapted to bear-lightly against the opposite edges of the note sheet, said fingers being in the form of levers, pivoted to suitable brackets or other supports 53, 54, the pivots being indicated at 55, 56, respectively. Pivotally mounted upon the finger 51 isa small lever 57 which is illustrated as in the form of a disk. I do not limit-myself,however, to this shape. The pivotal connection is indicated at 58. A link 59, which is a very light rod, but of sufficient rigidity to permit it to perform its functions hereinafter. described, connects thefinger52 with the small lever 57, the pivotal connection being diametrically opposite the pivot 58; Another link 60 is pivotally connected to the small lever 57, intermediate the 'pivot'58 and the pivotal connection of the link 59 with said lever, the other 'end of-said link 60 being connected with one arm of an'elbow lever 61 pivoted rections against the two collars 65, 66, this spring serving :to cause the two fingers 51, 52, to bear lightly against the opposite edges of the note sheet so as to cause both fingers to always follow any lateral movements or shifting of such edges'of the note sheet, but without unduly wearing such edges or caus- 'ing them to crumple in use. All of the connections with the fingers are of exceedingly light structure, and said fingers and the connections therewith have practically no resistance or opposition to their movements, which movements are solely aimed to swing the shield 38 so as to bring one or the other of its recesses (Fig. 3) under one or the other ofthe pawls 42, 43, of the secondary or power mechanism.

It will now be readily understood that if the note sheet should shift to the right out ofproper tracking position, it will act upon finger 52 and cause the link 59 to pull the small lever 57. Since said lever is pivotally connected to the finger 51, and since the link 60 connects the lever 57 with the elbow lever 61, it will cause the latter to exert a push on the link 63 and shift the shield 38 in the direction of the arrow at in Fig. 3, thus bringing the right handnotch or recess of the shield under the pawl 43 so that the secondary or power mechanism will cause the pawl 43 to act upon the ratchet wheel '35 and rot-ate the latter step by step in the direction of the arrow 1) in Fig. 3, so that the internally threaded hub of the latter will be turned as a nut upon the rod 49 and exert a pull upon the latter to actuate the rock shaft 23 and cause the arms 24, 25, of the latter to instantly begin correcting the error which had started. Any shifting'of the note sheet toward the left will act upon the finger 51 and, through the connections already described, shift the shield in the direction of the arrow 6 and bring the left hand notch of the shield under the pawl 421so that the secondary or power mechanism instantly begins to correct the error in the manner already described.

By constructing the shield as a complete wheel or disk with slight recesses in its upper edge, it is practically'balanced at all times so that gravity cannot cause any opposition to its being shifted by the light pressure of the note sheet edges, through the delicate connections already described. In other words, this shield has no load upon it at all, and all that the paper has to dots to swing this balanced disk. 13c

I do not limit myself to the compensating device, including the small lever 57 and the extension 6%, collars 65, 66, and spring 67, this structure not being necessary when the note sheets to be employed are so uniform that the connection between the two fingers may be a direct one.

Among the advantages of my improved structure are the following:

Owing to the fact that the fingers which engage the edges of the note sheet have no work to do beyond merely shifting the position of a balanced element (the shield 38), there being nothing to oppose such shifting, the sheet does not have to exert any appreciable pressure against the fingers in order to bring about a shifting of the sheet back to correct tracking position. Consequently, wear of the edges of the paper and tendency to crumple said edges is reduced to the minimum. The fingers merely set a primary mechanism in order to bring about an action of a secondary mechanism, which latter exerts the sole power necessary to restore the sheet to correct lateral position. The power exerted by the screw rod 49, which is one of the elements of the secondary mechanism, is so positive thatit acts to easily overcome the force of springs 28, without the slightest action of the note sheet itself or without any back pressure of the fingers against the edges of said sheet.

The mechanism is not affected or impaired in its operation by particles of paper or dust, while in those tracking devices or regulators which include pneumatics the air which is sucked in carries with it suflicient particles or dust to result, in the course of time, in rendering the devices inoperative.

Having now described my invention, I claim: I

,1. In mechanism of the character described, a tracker bar, means for supporting note-sheet spools, said means being mounted to permit lateral movement of the notesheet, and primary and secondary mechanisms for controlling the lateral position of the note-sheet, the secondary consisting of a shaft having. means for constantly actuating it, an elbow lever actuated by said shaft, pawls carried by said elbow lever, a ratchet adapted to be actuated in either direction by one or the other of said pawls, means whereby rotation of the ratchet in either direction will effect shifting of the note-sheet in one direction or the other, and the primary being composed of fingers to bear against the edges of the note-sheet, and means connected with said fingers to control the action of said pawls.

2. In mechanism of .the character described, a tracker bar, means for supporting note-sheet spools, said means being mounted to permit lateral movement of the note-sheet, and primary and secondary mechanisms for controlling the lateral posi tion of the note-sheet, the secondary consisting of a power-driven shaft, a pair of 0ppositely acting pawls, and connections whereby said pawls are operated by said shaft, a ratchet adapted to be engaged by one or the other of said pawls, means for normally holding both of said pawls out of engagement with the ratchet, the primary consisting of means under the control of the edges of the paper for permitting one or the other of said pawls to engage the ratchet.

3. In mechanism of the character described, a tracker bar, means for supportin note-sheet spools, said means being mounte to permit lateral movement .of the note-sheet, and primary and secondary mechanisms for controlling the lateral position of the notesheet, the secondary including a ratchet, means whereby movement of the ratchet in one direction or the other will effect shifting of the note-sheet laterally, power-actuated pawls adapted to engage said ratchet, a disk-shaped shield having recesses or notches to permit one or the other of the pawls to engage the ratchet, the primary consisting of means engaging the edges of the note-sheet and connections whereby shifting of the note-sheet will effect shifting of the shield.

4. In mechanism of the character described, a tracker bar, means for supporting note-sheet spools, said means being mounted to permit lateral movement of the notesheet, and primary and secondary mechanisms for controlling the lateral position of the note-sheet, the secondary comprising a pair of pawls, and constantly operating power mechanism for actuating said pawls, a ratchet adapted to be engaged by one or the other of said pawls, said ratchet having an internally threaded hub, a screw-threaded rod engaging said internally threaded hub, and means under the control of said rod for effecting lateral shifting of the notesheet, and the primary consisting of fingers adapted to engage the edges of the notesheet, and means connected with s tid fingers to permit the engagement of one or the other of the pawls with the ratchet when the notesheet is shifted out of proper tracking position.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

WILLIAM A, WATSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0! 

